Device for transferring or threading beginnings of a band

ABSTRACT

A present invention relates to a device for transferring or threading beginnings of a band or strip, including an extremely thin band or strip, from a band machining unit or band processing facility to or into a further processing unit or treatment facility, such as, for example, a winding reel or winding drum.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/541,931, filed Jul. 8, 2005, which itself was described and claimed in PCT International Application No. PCT/DE2004/000205, filed Feb. 3, 2004, which itself claimed priority under 37 U.S.C §119 to German Patent Application No. 103 05 414.6, filed Feb. 6, 2003.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to equipment for transferring or conveying bands or strips.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

DE 40 18 950 A1 provides a band-threading carriage that is arranged downstream of a reel. The band-threading carriage has a pivotable clamping device that is provided on the front end with a bit. With this band-threading carriage, the coil of a band located on the reel can be opened and the beginning of the band is immediately hydraulically or magnetically detected and transferred by the carriage, which moves lengthwise, to a subsequent band machining or band processing unit where it is threaded.

DE 26 04 909 B provides a lengthwise moving carriage wherein the carriage detects and transfers the beginning of a band unwinding from a coil also by means of clamping. Corresponding means are used for transferring the band coming out of a roll stand to a winding reel or for threading the band into the winding reel.

Although the devices disclosed in the above-cited references are suitable for normal band thicknesses, they are not suitable for so-called extremely thin bands or strips, for example, bands or strips with a thickness of less than 0.2 mm. Until now, manual handling has been necessary for transferring or threading extremely thin strips, as advancing a thin strip over a longer distance—as may occur, e.g., between two roll stands or between the outlet from a roll stand and the next reel—is not possible.

In practice, an extremely thin band has had to be pushed or carefully pulled, whereby it has not been possible to prevent the band from being uncontrollably displaced out of the center of the line of movement. Of course, that the space between two parts is often so narrow that access is only possible under certain conditions also plays a role. Such a displacement may, however, lead to the band winding onto the reel at an angle during the winding up. This in turn leads to either folds occurring on the reels, which inevitably damages the reel, or telescoping of the band.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for transferring or threading beginnings or head ends of a band or strip, including an extremely thin band or strip, from a band machining unit or band processing facility to or into a further processing unit or treatment facility, such as, for example, a winding reel or winding drum. Preferred embodiments of the device include a transfer table and a conveyor assembly. The width of the transfer table corresponds at least to the width of the band or strip to be conveyed and a table surface of the transfer table has a lengthwise slot disposed in the conveying direction of the band or strip that is narrower than the minimum width of a band or strip. The conveyor assembly includes a conveyor and pivoting means and is disposed relative to the transfer table such that an upper run of the conveyor running in the conveying direction of the band or strip can be pivoted via the pivoting means over the surface of the transfer table and the band or strip to be conveyed can be connected intermittently by external force to the upper run.

One object of the present invention is to provide a device wherein the handling of extremely thin bands during transferring or threading is possible, and preferably automatically.

Additionally, in contrast to the state of the art described in the above-cited references, one aspect of certain embodiments of the invention herein disclosed is that the band is not gripped, but rather is displaced by external force on an endlessly running conveyor belt for a while. Such a displacement is advantageously carried out with considerably more care than the gripping used up to now.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully disclosed in, or rendered obvious by, the following detailed description of exemplary and preferred embodiments of the invention, wherein only the basic principle is schematically shown in the drawings, wherein like numbers refer to like parts, and further wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a top view of a device for transferring or threading beginnings of a band including a transfer table in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a device for transferring or threading beginnings of a band including a pivotable conveyor assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the device of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 shows a side view of exemplary pivoting means in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This description of preferred embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description of the invention. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features of the invention may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. In the description, relative terms such as “horizontal,” “vertical,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing figure under discussion. References to axial dimensions and directions (e.g., in an “X” direction, over a “Y” dimension, etc.) should also be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing figure under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and normally are not intended to require a particular orientation. Terms including “inwardly” versus “outwardly,” “longitudinal” versus “lateral” and the like are to be interpreted relative to one another or relative to an axis of elongation, or an axis or center of rotation, as appropriate. Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “joined,” “connected,” and “interconnected,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4, an embodiment of the invention includes a device for transferring or for threading beginnings of a band or strip from a band machining unit or band processing facility to or into a further processing unit or treatment facility, such as, for example, a winding reel or winding drum. The device includes a transfer table 1 and a conveyor assembly 10. Conveyor assembly 10 includes conveyor 7, pivoting means 2, and conveyor motor 5. In some embodiments, magnets or suction nozzles 6 underlie an upper run or upper portion of a belt of the conveyor 7. Magnets underlying the upper portion of the belt of conveyor 7 may be electromagnets. Where suction nozzles underlie the upper portion of the belt, the upper portion of the belt may be perforated with openings such that a vacuum effected by the suction nozzles will bring a band or strip adjacent the upper portion of the belt in contact with the upper portion of the belt.

Transfer table 1 defines slot 8. In some embodiments, slot 8 is a lengthwise slot in the direction of movement of a band or strip. An upper surface of transfer table 1 may be substantially parallel to or coplanar with conveying plane 4 of the band or strip to be conveyed. Conveyor assembly 10 is pivotable and disposed relative to slot 8 such that an upper run of conveyor 7 can be variably positioned at one of any number of positions including (i) substantially above a top surface of transfer table 1, (ii) within slot 8 and substantially coplanar with a top surface of transfer table 1, or (iii) substantially below a top surface of transfer table 1. At any of these or other positions the upper portion of the belt of conveyor 7 may or may not be substantially parallel to or coplanar with the top surface of transfer table 1. The upper portion of the belt of conveyor 7 is displaced to and positioned in any of these and other positions by swiveling or pivoting motion effected by pivoting means 2.

Pivoting means 2 may be any means for effecting pivoting or swiveling motion such as, by way of example and not of limitation, a rod-and-cylinder structure, such as a pneumatic or hydraulic rod-and-cylinder structure. An exemplary structure used in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 4. The pivotable arrangement of the device is advantageous in that the conveyor may be moved into the plane of conveying and pivoted out of the same when not needed so that it does not interfere with a next course of movement. The belt of conveyor 7 circulates such that the upper portion of the belt runs in the direction of movement of the band or strip to be conveyed.

The maximum band width X and the minimum band width Y are indicated in FIG. 1. The width of transfer table 1 is at least equal to the width of the band or strip to be conveyed. Slot 8 is narrower than—i.e., has a minimum width less than—the minimum band width of a band or strip to be conveyed.

Referring again to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4, an embodiment of the device operates in the following manner. Transfer table 1 is disposed adjacent a band machining unit or band processing facility such as the last stand of a mill train or roll stand 3. A band or strip is conveyed along conveying plane 4 (indicating the center of the roll 3 and the conveying plane of the exiting band or strip) adjacent a top surface of transfer table 1 and in the direction of slot 8 and conveyor 7. Conveyor 7 is disposed via pivoting means 2 to a position wherein the upper portion of the belt of conveyor 7 has swiveled through slot 8 and is above or coplanar with an upper surface of transfer table 1. When a beginning or head end of the band or strip is conveyed to a position substantially adjacent conveyor 7, magnets or suction nozzles 6 effect an external force—e.g., by means of a magnetic field or by means of a vacuum—relative to the head end of the band or strip and upper portion of the belt of conveyor 7 such that the head end of the band or strip is put into contact with the upper portion of the belt. The band or strip is frictionally and/or magnetically connected intermittently to the upper portion of the belt. The contact between the band or strip and the upper portion of the belt and the movement of the belt act to further convey the band or strip in the direction of motion of the upper portion of the belt.

Where the band or strip material is magnetic, then magnets may be used to pull the beginning of the band against the upper portion of the belt of conveyor 7. Magnets are arranged under the upper portion of the belt of the conveyor 7. If permanent magnets are used for this, their action occurs only as long as the conveyor belt is located in a pivoted-out state, i.e., above the upper surface of transfer table 1. If electromagnets are used, then the action only occurs if the electromagnets are activated. It is important that the action only occur for a while. After transferring and/or threading into a next unit, the separation of the belt of conveyor 7 from the band takes place so that the band runs freely between the previous outlet and the next inlet.

Where the band or strip material is non-magnetic, then suction nozzles are arranged under the upper portion of the belt of the conveyor 7 and the conveyor belt itself is provided with openings or holes. In this case, the extremely thin band is placed by external force onto the top side of the upper portion of conveyor belt by partial vacuum for a while. Thus, a rapid conversion or exchange between these types of conveying can take place.

Either magnets or suction nozzles may be installed under the upper run of conveyor 7, or, alternatively, both magnets and suction nozzles may be installed under the upper run.

Patents and applications referred to herein are expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety herein. Although the invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claims should be construed broadly, to include other variants and embodiments of the invention, which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention. 

1. A device for transferring or threading thin strips into strip head ends from a strip machining or processing facility to or into a further treatment facility or winding drum comprising: a transfer table the width of which is at least equal to the width of said thin strip defines a lengthwise slot in the direction of movement of said thin strip, which slot is narrower than the minimum width of said thin strip, and through which slot the upper belt of a conveyor, that is circulating in the direction of movement of said thin strip, can be swiveled out across the surface of the transfer table wherein said thin strip is connected intermittently to said surface.
 2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein magnets are positioned underneath said upper belt of said conveyor which pull the thin strip against the top surface of the upper belt thereby to frictionally connect intermittently the strip to said top surface.
 3. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein said magnets are electromagnets.
 4. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said conveyor is perforated, and wherein suction nozzles are positioned underneath an upper belt which pull the thin strip against the top surface of said upper belt.
 5. A device for transferring or threading thin strips comprising a transfer table having a width that is at least equal to the width of a thin strip, and a surface that defines a slot along the direction of movement of said thin strip; said slot (i) having a width that is less than a minimum width of said thin strip, and (ii) accepting an upper belt of a conveyor that is circulating in the direction of movement of said thin strip, said upper belt being arranged so as to be swiveled out across said surface; wherein a magnetic field acting through said surface causes said thin strip to be intermittently frictionally engaged with said surface.
 6. A device for transferring or threading thin strips comprising a transfer table having a width that is at least equal to the width of a thin strip, and a surface that defines a slot along the direction of movement of said thin strip; said slot (i) having a width that is less than a minimum width of said thin strip, and (ii) accepting an upper belt of a conveyor that is circulating in the direction of movement of said thin strip, said upper belt being arranged so as to be swiveled out across said surface; wherein a vacuum acting through an opening in said surface causes said thin strip to be intermittently frictionally engaged with said surface. 